Students Protest at UGC Office, Say New Rules Will Create Chaos on Campuses

New Delhi | 27 January, 2026 Students from upper caste communities have announced a protest outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquarters in Delhi, claiming that the new regulations could create confusion and unfairness on college campuses. The students have urged their peers to join the protest in large numbers and stand together against what they call “UGC discrimination.” The protest is being organised against the UGC’s newly issued Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, released on January 13. The students argue that the rules, meant to stop caste-based discrimination, could instead lead to bias against general category students. They are particularly concerned about the new committees, helplines, and monitoring teams that institutions will have to set up to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST, and OBC students. Speaking to news agency, Delhi University PhD student Alokit Tripathi said the regulations are “draconian in nature” and could create “complete chaos” in colleges. He added that the burden of proof would shift entirely to the accused students, and there are no safeguards for those wrongly accused. Tripathi also criticised the planned Equity squads, saying that it would feel like students are “living under constant surveillance inside the campus.” The UGC rules have sparked wide discussion across the country, drawing reactions from students, teachers, and social groups. While the government has defended the changes as a way to bring fairness and accountability to higher education, critics fear the rules may increase social tensions and create new problems in universities. A poster calling for the protest described it as a peaceful “gherao” of the UGC office, urging students to unite with the message, “It's now or never, unity is Students to Protest Outside UGC Office, Say New Rules Will Create Campus Chaos Students from upper caste communities have called for a protest outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquarters in Delhi, saying the new regulations could cause chaos in colleges and universities. The protest organisers have asked students to come together and voice their opposition by saying “No to UGC discrimination”. The UGC’s new rules, titled the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, were issued on January 13. The regulations aim to stop caste-based discrimination and require colleges and universities to set up special committees, helplines, and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST, and OBC students. However, many general category students believe the new rules could lead to unfair treatment against them. Alokit Tripathi, a PhD student from Delhi University, told news agency that the regulations are “draconian in nature” and will create “complete chaos” in colleges. He said the burden of proof would shift entirely to the accused students and there are no safeguards for those who may be wrongly accused. Tripathi also added that the proposed Equity squads would make students feel like they are “living under constant surveillance inside the campus”. The new UGC regulations have sparked widespread debate across the country, with reactions coming from students, teachers, and social groups. While the government says the rules are meant to bring fairness and accountability, critics fear they may deepen social divisions and create new problems on campuses. The protest poster describes the event as a peaceful “gherao” of the UGC office and urges students to unite, saying “It's now or never, unity is strength.”